Colt Viper .357 Magnum Revolver

When Colt got back into the revolver business in 2019 with modernized designs, they had a tough act to follow…their own. They succeeded in setting a new high standard for how good a production revolver could be. The smooth and light double-action trigger pull characteristics of their new guns far exceed the ones they built in the heyday of the revolver making them much easier to master. The six shot, stainless steel, Viper .357 Magnum is a lighter service revolver version of the full underlug King Cobra .357 Magnum using the same frame and action but a leaner business end that combines a heavy round barrel with an integral ejector rod shroud in the style of S&W revolvers. Available in 3 inch and 4.25 inch  barrel lengths (1:14 RH twist) with fixed sights, checkered wooden stocks, Colt semi-bright finish (actually crazy bright), recessed crown, transfer bar drop safety, and a simple to remove front sight for easy user customization, the Viper weighs less than two pounds and measures only 9.25 inches long by 5 inches tall and 1.4 inches wide. It is a lot of firepower in a small package, but it’s not too small to shoot effectively. Triggerpull measured 5 pounds in single action and between 8.5 and 9.25 pounds in double-action. Accuracy with three different popular .357 Magnum defensive loads was impressive with five shot groups fired from the bench at 25 yards averaging from 1.64 to 3.68 inches depending on the bullet type. This is an impressive revolver built for a of lifetime service with .38 Special loads and the strength to handle some powerhouse .357 Magnum loads when the need arises. The MSRP is $1,149 but actual online retail looks to be about $200 less making it a good value for the investment for the sportsman or personal defense on the street or in the home.